


Behind the Masks

by Minna Leigh (minnaleigh)



Category: Warehouse 13
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-06
Updated: 2014-04-06
Packaged: 2018-01-18 11:05:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1426198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/minnaleigh/pseuds/Minna%20Leigh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Myka looks for closure.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Behind the Masks

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cdybedahl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cdybedahl/gifts).



Myka collapsed on the couch. There was a glass of wine on the table in front of her but she was too tired to reach for it just yet. She was also too tired to have another meaningless polite conversation like the ones that had filled every phone call since her last visit to Wisconsin. Hearing footsteps approaching, she curtailed a sigh.

Helena entered the room. "Adelaide zonked right out!” 

It’s like she’s not even the same person. “Zonked?”

“It means--“

“I’m familiar with the word. It just sounds… odd, somehow, coming from you.”

Helen crinkled up her nose. “I'm afraid I’ve picked up rather a lot of American slang since moving in with Nate and Adelaide.”

“Claudia is not going to believe me when I tell her you used the phrase ‘zonked right out’.” Or maybe she will. Maybe everyone else is used to the new Helena.

Helena took a sip of wine. “I thought that went rather well." Helena voice was so bright and cheerful that it was almost a chirp. 

Myka was repelled by the positivity. "It went." 

"Oh, come now, it went swimmingly. All the children had a lovely time." Helena set her glass down on the coffee table.

"All. So many children.” Myka made a half-hearted wave of her hand in the general direction of her wineglass. “I think I’m more tired than any of the times we saved the world.” Her hand fell into her lap. 

Helena leaned forward. She scooped up the wine in one hand and lifted Myka’s wrist with the other. She tucked the wineglass into Myka’s palm. In a conditioned response, Myka grasped the glass. “Thank you.”

Helena sank back into the couch cushions. “It was… rather exhausting.” She stared up at the ceiling and let out a huge exhalation. “But fun as well, right?” In her peripheral vision, Myka could see Helena turning to look at her.

“Oh, sure, if you look up ‘fun’ in the Oxford dictionary, the first entry reads ‘Corralling thirty children hopped up on the contents of their trick-or-treat bags through a bunch of party games.'” Myka took a large sip of wine. At least the planning had given them something real to talk about. “It wasn't _all_ bad. At least now that it's over." She turned and looked at Helena. “And Adelaide made an adorable Sherlock Holmes.”

“Yes, about that… she may have gotten a little bit _too_ into the part. The deductions she shared on some of the doorsteps caused some consternation.” 

Myka snorted. “Just a little. I think the couple in that blue house with the fake graveyard out front are having an interesting conversation right about now.”

“At any rate, aside from a broken marriage or two, the evening went fairly smoothly.” Helena’s eyebrows rose. “I do think the haunted house might have been more effective if you’d borrowed an artifact or two from the Warehouse.”

“Oh, sure, I could have broken Abby Normal’s brain out of the Dark Vault." Myka shuddered at the thought. 

Myka tried to picture herself smuggling an artifact out of the Warehouse the day of her departure and felt herself getting annoyed. “Besides, you’re forgetting that when I dropped everything and flew to Wisconsin, it was in response to an extremely vague and hysterical voicemail. If I’d realized that lives weren’t at stake and you simply needed a party planner, I might have taken time to pack!” 

“I am sorry I left such a misleading message. I panicked. In my day... I knew nothing about Halloween and I didn’t want to ruin it for Adelaide.”

Myka shoved the memory of her fear away. “Well, it wasn’t ruined. Even with an artifact-free haunted house. The night may not have contained endless wonder but I think it was full of the stuff of wonderful childhood memories.

“Thanks entirely to you.” Helena laughed. "I just hope we haven't set the bar too high!"

"I can't believe I flew out here on a moment's notice to help you throw your stepdaughter a Halloween party."

Helena placed her hand on Myka’s arm and caught her gaze. "Can't you?" She leaned in.

_Is she really going to go there? After everything?_ The pause grew awkward. Myka considered changing the subject but decided they should talk about the elephant in the room. While there was still time.

"Of course I can.” Myka winced as she realized that her voice was husky with tears. She placed her hand over Helena’s. “I will always drop everything and come when you call." Whatever the reason.

Helena looked down and tried to pull her hand away. "I think I hear--"

Myka’s hand gripped Helena’s. "No! You can’t just make a flirtatious comment and then withdraw behind ‘Emily’ when the conversation turns serious. Not this time." _I don’t know if there will even be a next time._

Myka waited until Helena looked at her. "I still care as much as I ever did. And you don't." Myka could see Helena opening her mouth and shook her head to prevent the interruption. “Not enough, anyway. Not enough to come back to the Warehouse." She swallowed hard. "To me.”

Helena broke off eye contact. “I--“ She took a deep breath. “It’s not that I don’t care. You must believe me.” She looked back at Myka. 

“I want to believe you. But you walked out on me." Without a word. "And it wasn’t because the Regents told you to. Because the Helena I know wouldn’t have let a little thing like the Regents stop her from doing something she _wanted_ to do. The Regents are an excuse.” Myka was torn between wishing Helena would argue the point and knowing she wouldn't believe her if she did.

Helena dropped her face into her hands and when she spoke, her voice was muffled.“You’re right. It was an excuse." She raised her head and looked at Myka. "A poor excuse to stay away from the Warehouse. A poorer one to stay away from you. I just… I don’t know if I could have brought myself to stay away for any other reason. And I do think I need to be away from the Warehouse.”

“Even if that means being away from me too.” Myka strove to keep her voice matter of fact.

“But I’m not away from you. Not out of contact like I was." The corner of her mouth quirked up on one side. "Not since you resolved that pesky incident with the jawbone. Just this week, I reached out when I needed help and you came.

Myka knew it was time to get to the most important point. “I came because… because that voicemail was the first time I felt like I’d heard from _Helena_ since before you left the Warehouse.” She blinked back tears. “You wear your Emily mask when we talk. I can't bear that." Myka took Helena's hand in hers. "I understand your decision to leave the Warehouse. I even understand your decision to pick Nate. But, I miss _you_.”

Myka took a deep breath. “I don’t… I’m not asking you to come back. I just… I don't want to have your leaving between us anymore. "Myka, I'm so--" "I don't want an apology. I just want _> Helena_ to pick up the phone when I call.”

"She-- _I_ will. I promise."

“I’m sorry I forced you into this conversation.” _No, I'm not. You'll have one less regret. Just in case._

“Oh, it wasn't _all_ bad.” Helena smirked. "At least, now that it's over." 


End file.
